Shoe sole construction



Aug. 4, 1936. I. TUB BS 2,049,598

SHOE SOLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 16, 1933 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe construction and hasspecial reference to a novel form of shoe sole for same.

The principal object is to provide a preformed composite sole forattachment to a shoe upper.

Another object is to provide such a sole having in combination therewithprotruding elements, such, for example as skates, calks, cleats, or thelike.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined skate and shoe sole,comprising the invention.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section of a fragmental portion of theimproved sole and cleat or calk.

Figures 3 and 3A are similar views 'of a portion of the composite solewith modifications of calks or cleats thereupon.

Figure 4 is a similar view of a, still further modification of assemblyof the sole and calk.

Figure 5 is a bottom view' of one of the soles with calks attachedthereto illustrating one manner of lightening the construction of theassembly.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a half sole with calks attached thereto.

I am aware that metal-plates have been placed, as a separate unit,between the leather inner and outer soles of a shoe, and therefore theuse of a metal plate, broadly, within the sole of a shoe I do not claimas novel. However the plate as heretofore used is exposed to moistureand rust and is subject to certain misplacements which have provendestructive to the sole of the shoe and to the function of the .plate.Not only are these and other disadvantages overcome in the fused unionof the present invention, but many advantages in addition are attained.

In my preferred arrangement, and as here illustrated, the steel plate ofthe sole of the shoe is illustrated at I, and is preferably whollysurrounded with rubber as shown at 2. This rubber extends beyond theentire marginal edge 'of the plate to provide sufiicient room forconveniently sewing the same to the upper of the shoe, and is vulcanizedto the plate so as to prevent any possibility of friction or squeakbetween the two elements and to insure a fused moisture-proof union ofsame.

It is well known that inherent resiliency is essential within the soleof a shoe and particularly is this true in athletic shoes, and toprovide just the proper resiliency for shoes designed for various usesthe present invention is particularly adapted and provides assurance asto the continuity of such resiliency since the rubber, being waterproof,does not change its resilient properties due to dampness or misuse as isthe case with leather or other substitutes therefore. For example inathletic shoes of the ordinary type when even a metal plate is used inconnection therewith, if they become wet or water-soaked andsubsequently dried out, the leather changes to an entirely differentcharacter than when first used, cracking, stifiening, shrinking andwarping, thus damaging the sole as a cleat base. In fact a repetition ofsuch experiences frequently results in the total ruination of a shoe.

In Figure 1, 3 represents a skate which may be attached directly to theunder side of the metal plate I as by spot welding or the like in whichevent the plate is vulcanized or fused to the rubber subsequent to suchformation, and the attachment to the upper of the shoe is madesubsequent to the vulcanizing process, it being readily seen that theselection of size and shaping of the sole to conform with the shape ofthe individuals foot may be accomplished prior to such attachment to theupper of the shoe, providing material convenience in the fitting ofsame. In fact this may be practiced in the making of common shoes toorder, without a skate, calk, or the like attached thereto. Furthermorewhen deemed advisable the vulcanizing or fusing of the rubber to theplate may only occur on the outer surface thereof, and other filling andcushioning elements employed on the opposite side; such a constructionbeing illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing.

In Figure 2 a novel form of calk and plate structure is shown in thatthrough the latter are punched holes for the reception of the calk, theybeing struck upwardly to form a marginal wall as at 4 about the hole.The interior of the wall 4 is screw threaded for the reception of thesleeve or ring 5 which is in turn vulcanized to a rubber calk 6 orotherwise suitably attached to some formof calk or other device torigidly and removably attach the calk or device to the sole. In thisform it may be desirable to serrate the lower edge of the ring 5 asshown at I so that when the calk is screwed home the serrated part ofthe ring will engage the inner leather lining as at 8, if such is used.

I have shown in Figure 2 the rubber 9 which is vulcanized to the plate Ias being bulged upwardly about the calk receiving orifices to form asmooth frustoconical-shaped base for the calk, and the walls of the calkare made to uniformly coincldewith the margins of this base. In thisform the calk is shown as being of rubber or other composition, which insome instances, may be desirable. Of course the rubber may be of anydensity desired to suit the purpose for which it is used, while, ofcourse, a call: of any other material may be employed, if preferred.

In Figure 4 I have shown a similar construction of Plate with a likecalk receiving socket but in this instance I have shown a calk composedof fabricated material of different wearing qualities. For example thecore III of the calk shown in Figure 4 may be of less wear resistingmaterial than the surrounding tubular portion II, so that the calkbecause of wear will not become sharp or pointed, always presenting onlythe flattened end thereof as illustrated in the drawing. The outer formmaintaining portion of the calk illustrated at I2 may be of less wearresisting material than the tube H, although functioning only as a guardor support to the tube, and the lower end of the tube may be externallyscrew threaded for engagement within the socket I3 of the plate I.

A calk similar to that just described is shown at- I 5 in Figure 3 ofthe drawing screw-threadedly connected to a spool shaped ferrule I4. Inthis form the calk base I4 is not attached directly to the plate I, butis vulcanized within the rubber at the wearing face of the plate andslightly spaced from the plate thus providing a opposite end of thefigure.

rubber cushion between the plate I and base I, thus providing a muchmore resilient and yieldable calk than that which is directly connectedto the plate.

In the form shown at the right hand end of Figure 3 a large flanged baseI! is provided having a central projecting screw threaded pintie I6formed thereon and incorporated within the rubbed covering of the sole,with the cushion between the fiange- I1 and plate I as shown at the Thecalk cooperating with this has incorporated therein a nut II which isdesigned to screw threadedly receive the pintie I6 and rigidly andresiliently attach the calk to the shoe sole.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a sole including the heel portion, andwhile the plate is illustrated in dotted lines at I9, there are alsoindicated circular areas at 20 which may be stamped out of the plate tolighten same or vary its yieldability but not ruin its stabilizingproperties, and further insuring a dependable job of vulcanizing as therubber would extend through and fill these openings. In this case theinstep 30 of the plate may be somewhat narrowed if preferred, or theconnection between the half sole and the heel might be of canvas orother stiffening material in place of the narrow portion 30 to preventill shaping of the shoe after wear.

In Figure 6 is illustrated a half sole with the steel plate being shownat 22, the projection of the vulcanized rubber around the edge thereofat 23, through which area the stitching occurs. To the ground engagingsurface of this sole may be attached in any desired manner atriangularly shaped cleat such as are common in athletic shoes asindicated at 24, or the latter may be fixed to the plate as by spotwelding or the like and thus incorporated within the shoe and surroundedby the rubber during the vulcanizing or fusing process.

Another novel feature of my composite shoe sole is that of theconvenience in providing for attachment to the upper of the shoe in thata channel or recess may be formed about the outer edges of the sole forreception of the bound edges of the welt, upper, and inner sole, asclearly seen in Figure 3 of the drawing, and in which instancerepresents the welt, 26 the leather of the upper, and 21 the insole,while at 28 is represented the filler which may be of cork or spongerubber or the like; in fact the rubber which forms the union with theplate I may be extended to provide such cushioning means in lieu of thecork as shown.

From the above it will be'apparent that I have provided an entirely newform of shoe sole construction having marked advantages for example tothe manufacturer of athletic shoes in that he has no cleats or cleatbases to attach as a separate manufacturing process. Furthermore theinvention provides the desired stiffness by those versed in the art.

It will be noted in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the calks are illustrated asbeing removable, the sole having integral enlargements formed thereinwithin which are vulcanized the call: or tip receiving means, and theseenlargements therefore form the base of the calk. It is entirelypossible, and perhaps desirable, however, to vulcanize withinenlargements of the sole of the shoe complete, integral, unitary cleatsor calks, leaving the tip projecting therefrom, and the entire sole isremoved and a new one applied to the shoe. This, however, is notbelieved as convenient as the provision of the removable tip or calk asherein illustrated and described.

As previously stated in respect to the showing in Figure 5, where theinstep portion 30 of the reinforcing plate is spoken of as beingnarrowed and stiffened, it is obvious that the same may be made to forman arch support when desired, and the same being formed integral withthe heel and toe portion of the reinforcement provides ideal means forshaping the sole to fit individual requirements in the way of an archsupport.

It is to be understood that the surface of the inner portion of therubber covering 2 may be of what is known as raw rubber to assist in itsadherence to the inner sole of the upper or what ever filler is beingused.

Where in the description and claims, the word rubber is employed, Idesire to be understood as meaning rubber or other material havinggeneral characteristics resembling rubber.

Having thus "described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In an athletic shoe sole construction, the combination of a metalstiffening plate, a layer of rubber fused to said plate and therebyforming a composite sole, a plurality of integral projections formed onsaid layer of rubber and adapted to serve as cleat bases, and cleatattaching means within said projections.

when these are worn,

2. In an athletic shoe sole construction, the

said projections.

IRA IRL 'I'UBBS.

